# Accident 20100818045149A: Schweizer 269C-1, Titusville, FL, August 18, 2010

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 18, 2010, 13:45 local time
- Place: Titusville, FL
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- Operating rules: Pilot school (Part 141)
- Operator: HIAS
- Location: 28.4592° N, 80.8631° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.4592&lon=-80.8631&mi=10
- Aircraft: N1542D, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N1542D-2011-04-28) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Schweizer 269C-1 (registry code 8059504, https://openairdocs.org/model/schweizer-269c-1) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming HIO-360 series (registry code 41524, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-hio-360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: SCHWEIZER 269C-1
- Reported engine: LYCOMING HIO-360 SER
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 503 total, 456 in this make and model, 190 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA10CA432](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA10CA432) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20100818045149A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

STUDENT WAS PRACTICING 180 DEGREE AUTOROTATIONS FROM 600 FEET ALT AND BEGAN TO RAPIDLY BUILD ROTOR RPM.  CFI WAS DISTRACTED BY TACH AND DID NOT REALIZE THE LOSS OF ALTITUDE.  AT 200' CFI TOOK CONTROL AND LEVELD AIRCRAFT.  AT 100' CFI BEGAN FLARING TO BUILD UP RPM, BUT AIRCRFAT CONTINUE TO DESCEND UNTIL THE TAIL ROTOR CAME IN CONTACT WITH THE TERRAIN.  IMMEDIATELY THE AIRCRAFT LUNGED FORWARD AND IMPACT THE FRONT OF THE SKIDS INTO THE GROUND, CAUSING THE TAIL BOOM TO RISE WHILE THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES DROOPED, SEVERING THE TAIL BOOM IN TWO LOCATIONS AND CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO ROLL VIOLANTLY TO THE LEFT THROUGH A ENTIRE ROLL AND RESTING ON ITS LEFTSIDE.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB ERA10CA432](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA10CA432), Aug 18, 2010: Schweizer 269C-1 (N1542D), Titusville, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The instructor's delayed remedial action, which resulted in a loss of rotor rpm and a hard landing.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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